Igniting device for smudge pots



June 17, 1952 s. R. cRocKETT IGNITING DEVICE FOR SMUDGE PoTs Filed Feb. 20. 1947 fuqL IEMEWII@ M (Ittorneg Patented June 17, 1952 IGNITING DEVICE FOR SMUDGE POTS Sydney R. Crockett, Freeport, N. Y., assigner to `Cyril Charles Crockett, Glendale, Calif.

Application February 20, 1947, Serial No.j729,784

9 Claims- The object of this invention is to provide an automatic igniting device for smudge pots of the type disclosed in my pending application Serial Number 719,097, led December 28, 1946. My invention is based upon the fact that Certain chemicals such as chromic anhydride. iodine crystals and potassium nitrate, when mixed into a compound in the proper proportions` Will ignite and produce a llame when contacted by isopropyl alcohol in the presence of oxygen orwhen exposed to the air.

My invention utilizes this fact for the purpose of providing a device wherebyV the usual oil soaked wick in a smudge pot may be ignited to produce a smudge pot for raising the temperature, in order to save citrus and other fruit crops which otherwise may freeze and be destroyed.y

The present invention is embodied in a device in which isopropyl alcohol is contained in an expansion chamber vunder pressure higher than atmospheric pressure. The alcohol is forced into the chamber at about fteen pounds pressure above atmospheric pressure. The chamber is connected by tubing with a chemical cartridge containing a compound of the above mentioned chemicals. 'I'he ow` of isopropyl alcohol to the cartridge is controlled by a normally closed valve which is automatically opened when a selected critical temperature is reached, the device of course being exposed to such temperature. When the valve is opened the isopropyl alcohol is forced out of the expansion chamber and flows to the cartridge and the latter is ignited. The present invention distinguishes over the application referred to by the feature that in this embodiment only one expansion element is employed as against two expansion elements disclosed in the said application,

The several novel features of this invention willA be more fully understood from the following specification read in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the device with the valve in normal closed position, certain parts being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a top View of Figure l.

Fig. 3 is a View partly in section andY partly broken away showing the valve mechanisml open.

Fig. 4 illustrates an ignited cartridge inY a smudge pot.

The device comprises three main parts: the alcohol expanion unit I, the Valve u nit 2 and the cartridge unit 3. Isopropyl alcohol as at II is contained Within an expansion chamber 5 which has a consistant expansion and contraction characteristic. The wall of the chamber is very thin and is therefore shown by a single line,A not sectioned. The chamber is closed at the top byl a cover Ii having a key 1. The cover is rotatably seated in a top disk 8 which is secured by bolts or rods 9 to a tubular valve casing I0.

The alcohol 4 is forced into the chamberl 5 under a pressure of about fifteen pounds above atmospheric pressure in order to eliminate extreme barometric reactions and also in order to make the chamber completely non-compressible. The chamberv is constructed soas to have its major movements of expansion and contraction in one direction (up and down in the drawing) and the transverse movements due to expansion and contraction are negligible.

The valve casing is closed at the bottom by a cap I I which is secured by a set screwy I2 or other means. The top disk 8, the rods 9 and the valve casing form a support for the entire, apparatus and encloses the operating parts as shown.

The chamber 5. carries at the bottom a. nipple I4 to which there is attached a capillary tube I5 of special neoprene rubber or like material which has the property of assuming its natural for-mation after' having. been compressed therefrom. The tube I5 is the medium through which` the isopropyl alcohol from the, chamber Ii,v flows to the cartridge 3 and is operated as a valve bybeing compressed and released betweenfits ends. The chamber communicates with theA nipple I4 and the tube I5 as indicated at, 1.6..

The tube I5 is` operated asaV valve by means, of a pair of springs I8., I8, which are carried bythe nipple I4 and extend downward, on opposite sides of tube I5. The `springs have ualve closing ingers I9 and bent, end portions 20 which engage the inner wall of,v a valve sleeve 24. The latter serve to compressthe valve springsl to close thetube. rIfhe sleeve has,V opposed slots 2 5 which serve to release the springs toy open the tube as shown in Figure 3. Thus the tube I5, springs I8 and sleeve 24 constitute the valve means for controlling the flow of alcohol through the tube.

The bottom cap II supports` a flexible tubing 28 attached to thelower end of the valve tube I5. The outer end ofthe tubing 2,8 is connected to the cartride 3. The latter comprises a wax impregnated container 32 which has an inner bottom 33 of thin rubber or the like so as, to be extremely exible. The inner bottomv has,y an opening at 34 at the side ofthe cartridge opposite the point of delivery ofthe alcohol into the container 3 2 from the tube I5. The opening 34- is shown much enlarged for the purpose of identification. The chemical compoundA 36 is placed cn top of the flexible bottom 33andf consists, for example,

of a mixture of 55 parts chromic anhydride, 20 parts iodine crystals and parts potassium nitrate. The compound is sealed against the outside elements by a coating 40 of lacquer or the like.

Figure 1 shows the device ready for use with the tube I5 closed. The key 'I is in the on position, see Figure 2, to indicate that the valve springs I8 are' in 'alinement with the release slots 25 in the sleeve 24 so that when the springs have been moved upward a suiiicient distance to snap into said slots, the tube will be open. The off position of the key 'I is used for storage and transport of the device.

It should be noted that upon turning the key I fixed to the cover 6, which latter is xed to the chamber or shell 5, the chamber and the springs I8 carri-ed thereby are turned correspondingly. This makes it possible to dispose the ends of the springs I8 in alignment with the slots to set the device for operation, or out of alignment with these slots for rendering the device inoperative. Thus, with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be apparent that the fingers I9 of the springs I 3 will remain in position to close the tube I5 until the ends 20 move outwardly into the slots 25 and that this outward movement cannot take place when the ngers are out of alignment with the slots.

In use the igniter is carried to the field and atl tached to the smudge pot 50, Figure 4. Preferably the `cartridge will be placed in good contact with or upon the wick in the pot. The igniter may be attached by any suitable means, such as a clip or the like, not shown, but disclosed in my aforesaid application. In the ready position the valve springs I8 are compressed to close the valve tube I5 as shown. In this position the springs are held by the sleeve 24 the inner wall of which is engaged by the end portions 20 of the springs. As the chamber 5 expands and contracts in response to temperature changes above a critical point, the springs will move axially within the sleeve 24 and the valve will remain closed.

When a critical low temperature has been reached, the chamber 5 will contract to such an extent that the ends 20 of the springs will become alined with the release slots 25 in the sleeve 24. The springs will therefore be released from the sleeve and snap outward into the slots and the t valve will automatically open. Then the isopropyl alcohol will be forced out of the chamber 5 and iiow to the cartridge via the tube I5 and the tubing 28. In the cartridge the alcohol will be forced in under the iiexible bottom 33 and raise the same and thereby break open the compound and rupture the coating so as to expose the chemicals to the air. The alcohol will also be forced into direct contact with the chemicals through the opening 34. The result of the contact between the isopropyl alcohol and the chemicals is that instant ignition of the chemicals occur and a ame is produced. In practise it will appear as if instant .combustion takes place and the cartridge becomes a fiaming unit which in turn ignites the oil wick in the lsmudge pot to produce a smudge fire.

In preparing the device for use, the sleeve 24 will be pushed into the valve casing a distance depending upon the temperature range in which the device is to operate so that the springs will be confined and maintain the tube closed until the selected critical low temperature is reached and the springs are to be releasedand the tube opened. It is a feature of the present embodiment of the invention that the major movement of expansion and contraction of the chamber 5 is in the direction toward the valve means to cause the operation thereof.

I claim:

l. An igniting device for smudge pots comprising in combination a container capable of expansion and contraction at predetermined non-critical temperatures and lled with isopropyl alcohol under pressure greater than atmospheric pressure, a tubular connection leading from said container, a valve mechanism in said tubular connection for controlling the passage of alcohol from the container through the connection, and comprising valve springs connected to the container for closing the valve, a valve sleeve for maintaining said valve springs in valve closing position while said container expands and contracts at said predetermined non-critical Itemperatures, said valve sleeve having spring releasing means for releasing said springs from valve closing position at a predetermined low critical temperature,4 means for securing said valve sleeve stationary with relation to the container and valve springs, and a chemical cartridge connected to the free end of the said tubular connection and containing a compound capable of being ignited by isopropyl alcohol from the container when the valve is open.

2. In an igniting device, a resilient expansible shell, rigid means secured to and preventing one end of the shell from moving responsive to expansion and contraction of the shell, a body of iiuid substantially iilling and tensioning the shell, said fluid reducing in volume responsive to reduction of ambient temperature, a substance capable of producing a flame when combined with said fluid, means maintaining said substance in a position to be combined with fluid released from said shell; and means rel-easing said uid from said shell into the presence of said substance responsive to a predetermined contraction movement of the other end of said shell.

3. In an igniting device, a resilient expansible shell, rigid means secured to and preventing one end of said shell from moving responsive to contraction and expansion of the shell, a body of inflammable liquid substantially i'llling and tensioning said shell and which contracts responsive to reduction of ambient temperature, said shell contracting responsive to a contraction of said liquid, a substance capable of producing a flame when said liquid is combined therewith, means maintaining said substance in position to be combined with liquid released from said shell, and means for releasing the liquid from said shell for contact with said substance responsive to a predetermined contracting movement of said shell.

4. In an igniting device, a resilient expansible shell, rigid means secured to and preventing a portion of said shell from moving responsive to expansion and contraction of the shell and permitting expansion and `contraction movement of the remainder of said shell, a body of liquid substantially lling and tensioning said shell and which reduces in volume responsive to a reduction of ambient temperature, said shell contracting responsive to the reduction in volume of said liquid, a substance which when combined with the liquid released from said shell will produce a iiame, means for maintaining said substance in position to combine with the liquid released from said shell, and means for releasing the liquid from said shell responsive to a predetermined movement of said shell.

5. In an igniting device, a resilient expansible shell adapted to be substantially iilled with a liquid which will change in volume responsive to changes in ambient temperature, a rigid means secured to and preventing a portion of said shell from moving responsive to expansion and contraction of the shell, means for maintaining a substance which will produce a iiame when in contact with liquid released from said shell, in a position to contact liquid released from the shell, and means for releasing liquid from the shell into contact Wlth said substance responsive to a pre determined movement of the shell.,

6. A device comprising, a resilient shell adapted to be substantially lled with a liquid which will change in volume responsive to changes in ambient temperature, rigid means secured to and preventing a portion of said shell from moving responsive to expansion and contraction of the shell, and means connected with said shell for releasing liquid from the shell responsive to a predetermined movement of the shell according to the change in volume of said liquid.

'7. A device comprising a resilient shell, rigid means secured to and preventing one end of said shell from moving responsive to expansion and contraction of the shell, a body of liquid substan tially filling and tensioning said shell and which contracts responsive to reduction of the temperature to which the shell and liquid are subjected, the other end of the shell moving toward said one end responsive to reduction of the volume of said liquid, and means connected with said shell for releasing the liquid from the shell responsive to a predetermined movement of said other end of said shell toward said one end.

8. In an igniting device, a single resilient expansible shell, a rigid means secured to one end of said shell, a body of liquid substantially filling said shell and contracting responsive to reduction in ambient temperature, said single shell and said body of liquid constituting the sole means for moving said shell, said shell contracting solely in response to a temperature-effected contraction of said body of liquid, a substance which in combination with the liquid released from the shell will produce a ame, means maintaining said substance in position to be combined with liquid released from said shell; and means connected with the shell and responding to contraction of the shell for releasing the liquid into contact with said substance.

9. A device comprising, a resilient shell adapted to be substantially filled with a liquid which will change in volume responsive to changes in ambient temperature, rigid means secured to and preventing a portion of said shell from moving responsvie to expansion and contraction of the shell, means connected with said shell for releasing liquid from the shell responsive to a predetermined movement of the shell, according to the change in volume of said liquid, means on said rigid means for rotating said shell, and means responsive to rotation of said shell for rendering said releasing means inoperative.

SYDNEY R. CROCKETT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,701,133 Ulmer Feb. 5, 1929 1,941,023 Smith Dec. 26, 1933 2,052,925 Fernandez Sept. l, 1936 2,480,397 Crockett Aug. 30, 1949 

